Can Pizza Be Healthy?

When many people think of pizza, they don’t categorize it as a healthy choice. With extra cheese, heavy meat toppings, and buttery dipping sauces, some pizza options are very caloric and high in fat. However, it is possible to create a healthier pizza with a few simple steps. Read on, and we’ll show you how!

Make Your Own Pizza

By making your own pizza, you’ll have maximum control over ingredients, fat content, and calories, and homemade pizzas are an ideal choice for individuals with food sensitivities or allergies. Instead of the triple meat toppings like you might find on frozen or restaurant pizzas, choose vegetable toppings like onions, mushrooms, and olives to lower the calories and fat content. Pita bread, tortillas, and English muffins work well as substitutes for pizza dough, too. Where possible, try to go light on the cheese. You can even add garlic to your pizza sauce for more flavor.

Practice Portion Control

Pizza is one of those foods that is very easy to overeat. One slice can turn into three or four, and you’ve maxed out your daily calorie budget before you even know it. To practice good portion control, it can help to cut each slice of pizza in half. This may trick you into eating fewer calories overall, even if you eat the same number of slices as you normally would. If you can, try to include a side salad with your pizza to fill yourself up. Consider freezing half of a pizza for later so that you won’t be tempted by any leftovers. You may want to take two slices of pizza and sit at the table, putting the rest of the pizza out of sight so that you’re less tempted to go back for more.

Avoid Processed Meats

Processed meats, such as sausage, bacon, and pepperoni, can add lots of saturated fat and unnecessary preservatives to your meal. To reduce fat and calories, consider choosing healthier meat, like grilled chicken, or opting for a veggie pizza. There are plenty of vegetarian pizza ideas for your next pizza night. For example, you could combine peppers, onions, and olives on your veggie pizza, and you might also enjoy a mushroom pizza. It can be fun to get creative with unusual toppings, such as broccoli, green olives, or eggplant. 

Who says eating pizza has to be a bad thing? By making homemade pizza, exercising portion control, and piling on the veggies, you’ll be able to include pizza in your diet more often. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different crusts, sauces, and toppings to find the ones you love. 

Eating healthy is important. Don’t forget to include vitamins and supplements in your diet.